Stockpiling intentions and customer well‐being during the COVID‐19 pandemic

Abstract

AbstractThe COVID‐19 pandemic and associated factors influence customers' stockpiling intentions. This study examines the impact of various factors on customers' stockpiling intentions. It develops a model combining threat severity and fear of COVID‐19, customer well‐being dimensions, and constructs relating to the theories of planned behavior and competitive arousal to explain the effect of these on stockpiling intentions. Adopting a quantitative design, we analyzed data from 476 respondents using covariance‐based structural equation modeling. The empirical results confirm that threat severity (with the fear of COVID‐19 as a mediator) and fear of COVID‐19 positively influenced individuals' attitudes toward stockpiling. Additionally, a positive attitude toward stockpiling, subjective norms that support stockpiling, the degree of perceived behavioral control, perceived scarcity, and time pressure positively influence stockpiling intentions. This study's findings thus contribute to a better understanding of customers' stockpiling intentions during a crisis and assist policymakers in developing effective COVID‐19 response and recovery strategies.